Cranberry Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Cranberry, including details on benefits, antioxidants, utis, cystitis.

The cranberry and the urinary tract.

Cimolai N, Cimolai T

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. ncimolai@interchange.ubc.ca

Cranberry products have been heralded as natural treatments for urinary tract infections (UTIs) and have been widely used for this purpose. Current evidence favours an antibacterial role for the cranberry's natural polyphenols or tannins. Although limited species- and strain-specific direct inhibition has been determined in vitro, it has been suggested that a key mechanism of inhibition, especially for the abundant uropathogenic E. coli, relies on anti-adhesion properties. Many studies of prevention have been complicated due to the enrollment of patients who have had complicated urinary tracts, and outcomes have not been consistently favourable. In contrast, significant prevention has been shown for acute cystitis among high-risk young females. While reasonably well tolerated and deplete from side effects, further scientific work is required to better place the role of cranberry products in the management of UTIs. Progress in this area has set the stage for further hypothesis testing studies.

Published 11 October 2007 in Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 26(11): 767-76.
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